Home > Octopus Clinic Reopening for Face to Face Physiotherapy and Osteopathy Consultations

Octopus Clinic Reopening for Face to Face Physiotherapy and Osteopathy Consultations

 

Reopening Following the Eased Restrictions due to Covid-19

Octopus Clinic Blackfriars is now open for selected face to face Physiotherapy and Osteopathy consultations. We have put the following measures in place to reduce the risk to our staff, patients and to public health. If you are considering coming for a face to face appointment it is essential that you read the following.

 

Clinic Capacity and Cleaning

• There will only be two physiotherapists or osteopaths working in the clinic per day.
• Appointments will be spaced so that there are fifteen minutes between appointments. This will enable the clinician to have time to change PPE and clean all surfaces that have been touched by either the clinician or the patients with alcohol-based spray. This includes the plinths, seat handles, door handles, taps and light switches of the treatment room and the toilet if it is used during the patients visit.
• Gym equipment, towels and couch covers will not be used.
• Pillow covers will be changed by the clinician between sessions.
• Disposable, single use couch roll will be used on the couch and pillows.
• Professional cleaners will perform a deep clean of the clinic daily.

 

Personal Protective Equipment

Your physiotherapist or osteopath will be wearing the following PPE at your appointment. This is in compliance with current government guidelines: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-infection-prevention-and-control

• Non-latex gloves (single use)
• Apron (single use)
• IIR facemask (sessional use)
• Eye protection goggles

 

Your Agreement with Us

We advise that you continue with virtual sessions unless there is a clinical need to have hands on physiotherapy or osteopathy. In order for our clinicians to establish this, you will be required to have a video consultation, charged at our normal rates, with your physiotherapist or osteopath before coming into the clinic. We will only be seeing certain patients who we decide require face to face consultations rather than continuing with video consultations. This is in line with the recommendations from our regulatory bodies: The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy https://www.csp.org.uk/news/coronavirus/clinical-guidance/face-face-or-remote-consultations/guidance-england and the Institute of Osteopathy https://www.iosteopathy.org/covid-19/faq/

We have done everything we can to reduce the risk of our clinicians and patients contracting Covid-19. However, if you come for face to face treatment, please be aware that there is no way that we can eliminate the risk of you contracting Covid-19.

Please do not come in if either you or one of your household is in one of the higher risk groups including, but not exclusively, those who are immunosuppressed, those with underlying heart or lung conditions.

Please do not come in if you have not been following the government guidelines for social distancing. If you are unsure of these please follow this link:  https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Please do not come in if either you or one of your household has been ill in the last two weeks. Including, but not exclusively, the following symptoms: fever over 38 degrees, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, head aches or fatigue.

 

What You Need to do Before, During and After Your Appointment

We ask you to adhere to the following rules. We will terminate your appointment if you do not adhere to these rules and you will still be liable for the cost of the session:

• Please sign and return the written consent form you will be sent by email before attending your appointment.
• Please wear a face mask for the entire time that you are in the building, as per government guidelines. If you do not have a facemask please follow the government guidelines on making your own face cover here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering
• We will be taking your temperature before you enter the clinic to ensure you do not have a fever using an infrared thermometer.
• We will ask you to carefully clean your hands with alcohol-based gel before you enter the clinic.
• Please wait in the main waiting area in the foyer of the building, not in the clinic itself. Please maintain two meters from anyone else in the waiting area.
• Please try not to use the toilet if possible.
• Please maintain a two meter distance from your clinician for the parts of your session that are possible to do so.
• The doors to the treatment room and clinic will be left open to maximise ventilation except for when they need to be closed for your privacy.
• Please make all payments by bank transfer after leaving the clinic rather than paying in the clinic.
• If you develop any symptoms in the two weeks following your consultation please notify us immediately. 

 

If you have any suggestions or questions regarding your face to face or video consultations with us please do not hesitate to contact me lucy@octopusclinic.com.

With best wishes,

Lucy Macdonald

Director, Octopus Clinic